Hispanic summit enlightening

I was sitting at the "Indiana" table — right next to the Texas tables in the center of the huge conference room.

I wanted to sit at the core of the nearly 70-person strong Texas contingent at the National Hispanic Leadership Summit last week in Washington, D.C.

Like our San Angelo community, however, I found myself on the fringe, edged out by representatives from Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth. U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Mel Martinez, R-Florida, the lead sponsors of the two-day summit, had called Hispanic leaders together to discuss pressing policy issues.

It was the fourth such Hutchison summit. As the Wednesday morning session wrapped up, my thoughts already were drifting toward getting home to San Angelo and the Standard-Times. About that time, Alberto P. Cardenas Jr. approached the "Indiana" table. "Are you Tim Archuleta?" he asked Raymond T. Meza, president of Twin Mountain Fence Co., who also was there representing San Angelo.

"I'm Tim Archuleta," I said. Startled, I was sure he had bad news.

"Sen. Hutchison would like you to sit at her table during lunch," Cardenas said.

Great. Now what?

At a welcoming reception the afternoon before, I quickly realized why Texans hold Hutchison so dear. Their dedication and loyalty aren't misplaced. Hutchison represents the Lone Star State well.

At lunch, Hutchison introduced me to others at the table — some of whom were hanging on her every word. She quickly showed she was tuned in to the hot topic in San Angelo, asking about Angelo State University's new president and a possible ASU-Texas Tech University marriage, of sorts.

Like all of America's statesmen, Hutchison's remarks guided the brief discussion about the ASU realignment to what was best for the greater good. I'm not one to be dazzled by the bright lights and illusion that are America's politics. I've witnessed former President George H.W. Bush deliver a coasting-to-victory speech during his trouncing of Democrat Michael Dukakis. I've seen former President Bill Clinton shine on the campaign trail in the blue New Mexico sky.

Hutchison is a special politician — a special person. On a personal level, Hutchison is genuine, thoughtful and polite. She is steady, strong and comfortable in one-on-one encounters. She deals with opposing views without pandering.

On a political level, she is well-prepared. She is in control and at ease telling her story on the national stage.

Either way, Texas wins.

But enough about Hutchison. The focus of the summit was Hispanics and U.S. policy issues. About 350 Hispanics from 38 states gathered to discuss what is important to them. A pre-survey found that immigration reform and education were the top summit issues.

The summit was enlightening. Here are the highlights regarding the summit's marquee topics:

Immigration reform — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez drew a standing ovation after his remarks, saying: "Immigration is not a historical problem. It's a historic opportunity."

He and others favor a "comprehensive immigration reform" plan, code talk for a solution that balances border security and a guest worker program without blanket amnesty for the 12 million illegal workers living in the country.

"The mass deportation of 12 million people is not the answer," Gutierrez said. "Neither is amnesty. I'm sure we can find an answer somewhere in the middle."

Panelists said the nation needs low-cost laborers to do the jobs Americans refuse to do for low wages. Illegal workers need to understand that reform won't include free rides. Those illegally in the country must "earn their way to legal status."

There is talk of fines, a supervised plan for residency and tamper-proof identification. A firm limit on administrative and legal appeals is also being discussed.

For those who think Hispanics, new and old U.S. residents, aren't important, Gutierrez says: "Clearly, Hispanics are contributing to our nation's economic strength."

The Senate is shooting for immigration legislation action by August.

Education: This discussion seemed to focus largely on higher education. Hispanic families cannot feel good about this topic — fewer than 10 percent of all Hispanics hold four-year college degrees, a recent White House report said.

Sara Martinez Tucker, the undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said we need to push youngsters to learn more about science and math. She called on all parents, especially Hispanics, to push their children to take Advanced Placement courses in high school, press educators to develop agreements between high schools and community colleges, and seek ways to raise money for local college scholarships.

Parents should do all they can to make sure their children don't leave high school early or postpone higher education because of the lure of an entry-level paycheck.

In a nutshell, young Americans must find a way get college degrees or advanced training to stay competitive for top jobs in a global economy, panelists said.

Tim Archuleta is editor of the Standard-Times. Contact him at 325-659-8231 or tarchuleta@sastandardtimes.com